Ann Boudreau & Everything in Between

 Teacher, cheering coach, involved in Woburn sports, social groups, member of the Shamrock PTO, and the high school scholarship fund, and once a member of the D.A.R.E. program. You name it. Ann Boudreau is very active in “her city,” as she likes to call Woburn, Massachusetts.

  Ann has lived in Woburn her whole life. She is part of a fifth generation. “I love my city,” she adds.

 Ann has always been involved in her city. She works in Woburn at the Shamrock School as a third grade teacher. She also is involved in Woburn sports, social groups, and she is even a member of the high school scholarship fund and the Shamrock PTO. Before it was discontinued, she worked with the D.A.R.E. program for a few years. Ann also gets involved in Woburn politics.

 Woburn hasn’t changed significantly, according to Ann. When Ann was a teen there was still peer pressure throughout the schools.

 The technology that is out now was not around when Ann was growing up. Kids are able to reach each other 24/7. “That makes a huge difference,” Ann says with concern. She thinks teens deal with the same issues but on a completely different level from when she was a teen. “Facebook, AIM, AOL, and cell phones make issues so much worse.”

 When Ann was younger, there were few changes in Woburn. Elementary schools closed, like the Tarkey and the Veterans. The Woburn Mall was built. It was closed on Sundays. Overall, "The changes in Woburn both have their pros and cons,” Ann says. Some things that have changed she likes and others she dislikes. “There is a big change from being a child and an adult in the city.”

 Ann was a teen in the 1980’s. She remembers the explosions on Mt. St. Helens. She learned of the top news stories all through the news, newspaper, and current events in school. Ann listened to classic rock, like Journey, Bad Company, Aerosmith, and Foreigner. She attended the Bob Seger and Journey concerts.

 Ann remembers the Blizzard of 78. She was in sixth grade at the time. The junior high and the high school had to go back to school a few days before the elementary schools did. People traveled in sleds and some could barely get out of their houses.

 Relating to school, she thinks that some cheerleaders can be snobby, but for the wrong reasons. They think of cheerleading as a popularity contest, when in reality, “It’s not like cheering for a team anymore. You really need to be a true athlete.” Ann cheered all through high school for football and basketball teams. There were no elite teams like there are today. There was not much competition between cheerleaders either. Not only did she cheer for Woburn High, she also cheered for Woburn Pop Warner and the Kennedy.

 Now she coaches the soccer, hockey, and basketball teams. She grew up cheering and has grown a passion for football. She was involved in the Woburn football community. The first professional game she attended was football.

 Ann loved college. She attended Regis College in Weston, where she majored in teaching. “It was small and close enough to home,” Ann admits. She took the opportunity to live there and loved it. She applied to Regis College because she heard the teacher program had a great reputation.

 Her most memorable moments in college were the simple gatherings with friends. She loved the socials on campus. She attended the mother-daughter dinner and the father-daughter dance. Every Thursday her group of friends would get together to hang out and talk. Ann enjoyed going to a smaller college very much. She claims she did better in small classes and she liked how everyone knew who she was.

  Ann never had doubts about becoming a teacher. Ever since first grade her dream was to become a teacher. When she was a child she played school all the time. When asked about becoming a teacher Ann replied, “I had no doubt about it.”

 Even though Ann loves teaching she also has her pet peeves. Her students can’t stay quiet for five minutes. She claims their mouths never stop. Whenever there is downtime they open their mouth. “They have a hard time talking at the appropriate time,” Ann says.

 She has always wanted to be a teacher but, to be specific, she has always wanted to be an elementary school teacher.

 She loves her third grade class. She enjoys working with third graders. “They are still young but they are old enough to work independently.” Ann has been teaching for a total of 22 years. She taught for 10 years at St. Charles teaching second grade. She has taught for a total of 12 years at the Shamrock. She taught second grade her first year at the Shamrock. Otherwise, she has taught third grade for 11 years.

  Every teacher has embarrassing moments, even Ann. One day while working alongside Candi Chillemi, the other third grade teacher at the Shamrock, she “tripped." From what she remembers her class didn’t know whether to laugh or not. But most importantly she didn’t spill her beloved Pepsi.

 According to Ann, she has never had a problem with a fellow teacher. “I get along with everyone.” There is a very close group of friends and co-workers at the Shamrock.

 From elementary school, high school, and her teaching career at the Shamrock School, Ann has stayed in Woburn. She always has time for her city and always will. Ann is truly dedicated to the city of Woburn. 

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